Tag Archives: Cameron

This November’s pioneers were an interesting bunch. There were the sons of pastoralists, a deputy coroner and the daughter of a convict ship surgeon. For me, it was mason Joseph Richards who caught my interest, arriving in a Hamilton in 1854 and pitching his tent on a block that is now part of the town’s CBD. He later built the Hamilton Spectator offices.

Duncan ROBERTSON – Died November 1882 at Gringegalgona. Duncan Robertson was born in Scotland in 1799. He, his wife and three children travelled to Australia in 1838 first to N.S.W. and then Victoria. They first settled at Satimer at Wando Vale before Duncan purchased Gringegalgona near Balmoral in 1856. His brothers John and William took up land at Wando Vale Station. More information about Duncan and his family is available at South-west Pioneers.

Charles Henry Fiennes BADNALL – Died November 20, 1885 at Portland. Charles Badnall was born in Staffordshire in around 1830s. He arrived in Victoria during the 1850s and first went to the Portland district with a government survey party. When that work finished he married Mrs Hannah McKeand and they settled at Hannah’s hometown of Heywood before moving to Portland.

Charles wrote for the Portland Guardian and was also a correspondent for the Hamilton Spectator. He sang with the St. Stephens Church choir and was one of the founding members. Across the weekend after Charles’ death, flags around Portland flew at half-mast including on boats in the harbour, . A biography of Charles is on the following link – Charles Badnall

Ann MERRICK – Died November 11, 1904 at Hamilton. Ann Merrick was born in Somerset, England around 1814 and married Edward Cornish in 1834. In 1856 with a large family, they sailed to Australia, landing at Portland. Edward’s first employment in Victoria was at Murndal Estate for Samuel Pratt Winter making bricks for the homestead which in years and several extensions later would look like this (below)

Ann lived on in Hamilton for a further 40 years and was buried with Edward at the Old Hamilton Cemetery

Patrick LAVERY – Died November 19, 1905 at Minimay. Patrick Lavery was born in Ireland around 1821 and arrived in Victoria with his wife in 1856. They settled in Heywood where Patrick worked as a blacksmith and farmer. After 27 years, Patrick moved to Minimay to farm with his sons. At his funeral, there were 40 buggies and 25 men on horseback behind the hearse as it travelled to the Minimay cemetery.

George Gilbert HOLLARD – November 26, 1912 at Wallacedale. George Hollard was born in Devon, England in 1817. He arrived at Portland in 1849 aboard the ship Bristol Empire and obtained work with Edward Henty at Muntham Station before returning to Portland. During his final years, George took up residence at Wallacedale with his son. He had great memories of the old times including the Governor of Victoria turning the first sod for the Hamilton-Portland railway in 1876.

Mary OSBORNE – Died November 11, 1914 at Portland. Born in Ireland in 1825, Mary Osborne arrived in Australia as a 10 year-old. Her father Alick Osborne was a surgeon aboard convict ships and later became the member for Illawara, N.S.W. In 1852 at Dapto, Mary married Lindsay Clarke of Portland and Mary travelled south to Victoria to settle at Portland with Lindsay.

On the journey to Victoria, Mary and Lindsay sailed aboard the Lady Bird which was reported to have been a challenging voyage. So much so, Mary and Lindsay disembarked at Port Fairy and continued the rest of their journey on horseback along the beaches between Port Fairy and Portland. Mary remained in Portland for the duration of her life aside from six years spent in Hamilton.

Joseph RICHARDS – Died November 16, 1916 at Fitzroy. Joseph Richards was born around 1830 in Cornwall and arrived aboard the Nestor to Portland in 1854, with his wife Elizabeth and two young children. After their arrival the Nestor was scuttled by the crew eager to get to the goldfields. This account of the Nestor’s demise is from the obituary of Henry Barcham, first mate on the ship.

Joseph arrived in Hamilton, then The Grange, in November 1854 when there were few residents. Joseph pitched his tent on a piece of land at what is now the corner of Brown and French Street. From the clues given in his obituary I believe it was the corner below with the brick house. A couple of years later he purchased a block in French Street, building a home and residing there until into his seventies.

Joseph was a mason and his first job in Hamilton was to slate the roof of the Victoria Hotel which opened in 1855. He also won the contract to build the office of the Hamilton Spectator (below), constructed in 1873.

HAMILTON SPECTATOR

The last eight years of Joseph’s life were spent living with his son in Fitzroy. He was 86 when he passed away and his body was returned to Hamilton by train. Joseph was buried in the Old Hamilton Cemetery.

George TURNBULL – Died November 19, 1917 at Hamilton. George Turnbull was born in 1858 at Mt. Koroit near Coleraine to Adam Turnbull and Margaret Young. George’s father and grandfather Dr. Adam Turnbull snr were in partnership on the property Winninburn. George tried working for the bank but it was not for him and he returned to Winninburn to farm. He was involved with the St Andrews Church and Sunday School.

Frederick SPENCER – Died November 16, 1923 at Hamilton. Frederick Spencer was born in 1853 at Portland. As an adult he took up residence at Dartmoor and was a Justice of the Peace. In 1911, he was appointed Deputy Coroner for Dartmoor, a role that was long overdue according to the Portland Guardian’s Dartmoor correspondent.

Two obituaries for Frederick appeared in the Portland Guardian, the first on December 10, 1923 that stated he had lived to “be a little over the allotted span.” Frederick was 70. He was known for his dry-wit making him a popular chairman at functions. Three of Frederick’s sons served at Gallipoli. One lost his life while another had been hospitalised for three years because of the effects of gas.

John Samuel McDONALD – Died November 25, 1932 at Portland. John McDonald was born in Scotland around 1837 and arrived in Victoria when he was seven aboard the Tamerlane. His father had arrived at Portland several years before so John, travelling alone, was placed under the care of the ship’s captain. John’s father went on to build Mac’s Hotel in Portland in 1855.

While his father was building a hotel, John was at the diggings in the hunt for gold. After some years he settled at Strathdownie. During the 1870s, he married Eliza McDonald of Horsham and the had a family of 10 children.

February Passing of the Pioneers has obituaries from some of the Western District’s early colonists. They include Fanny Fisher and John Kelly, both born in Tasmania. They each lived in Victoria for 79 years by the time of their deaths.

Alexander LEARMONTH: Died February 8, 1874 at Hamilton. The Learmonths were one of Hamilton’s most noted families. Alexander was the eldest of four brothers to immigrate to Australia and in time their paths led to Hamilton. Alexander arrived in 1857 and immediately took an interest in the town’s affairs. He founded the Hamilton municipality and was the first Mayor of the Borough, holding the office for six years. The contribution Alex Learmonth made to Hamilton in those early days was immense.

Alexander was a trustee of the Hamilton Mechanics Institute. After his death, funds raised built an extra room named the Learmonth Memorial Hall. He also served as a territorial Magistrate, Coroner, Government Auditor and many other offices, too many to list, but all are in his full obituary.

HAMILTON MECHANICS INSTITUTE

John KELLY: Died February 7, 1914 at St Helens. John Kelly, born in Tasmania, was one of the oldest residents in the Port Fairy and Yambuk district when he died in 1914. He had been in Victoria for 79 years, having arrived aged three. He first resided at Casterton, then near Port Fairy and later he ran a general store at Yambuk. His wife passed away 41 years before him and he left seven children.

John Wishart GIBSON: Died February 10, 1914 at Colac. John Gibson was a Geelong importer before purchasing a large amount of land in and around Colac. He was a keen golfer and enjoyed playing the Port Fairy Golf Links on his summer holidays. John’s wife Grace signed the 1891 Women’s Suffrage Petition at Highton. They had five children.

Fanny Mercer FISHER: Died February 25, 1914 at Dobie. Fanny Richardson was the oldest resident in the Ararat district at the time of her death, aged 81. She had been in Victoria for 79 years and that was also thought to qualify her as the oldest lady colonist in the state. Apparently she shared the title with a Mrs Pearman and Mrs Creswick until they both passed away. Fanny, born in Tasmania, was the daughter of David Fisher. He took up the position of manager for the Derwent Company bringing him, and later his family, to Geelong in 1837. A letter from David appears in Letters from Victorian Pioneers. In 1850, Fanny married James Richardson.

Mr John Henry JACKSON: Died February 2, 1915 at Casterton. John Jackson was born in Longford, Tasmania in 1829. At 14 years, he travelled to Victoria to work for his uncles Samuel and William Jackson near Sunbury, When his uncles purchased “Sandford Estate” from John Henty in 1847, John rode from Sunbury to Sandford by himself aged 18. He remained there for the rest of his life. John married Marianne Bowtell in 1855 and they had two sons and three daughters. John was one of the earliest J.P.s in the area and was a Honourary Magistrate.

John HOWELL: Died February 17, 1915 at Orford. John Howell was born in the Port Fairy district around 1843 to Irish parents. He selected land at Orford in 1867 and remained there until his death. He never married, and thanks to his thrift was a donor to many worthy causes. He left three brothers and five sisters.

Reverend Mother Josephine: Died February, 1915 at Ireland. The Reverend Mother Josephine was one of the founding members of the Brigidine Convent in Ararat, arriving around 1888 from Ireland. With guidance from the much admired Mother Josephine, the convent school, was highly regarded. Marian College still operates today. Sadly, after a trip home to Ireland, Mother Josephine passed away on the ship during the return voyage.

Jane O’MAY: Died February 17, 1916 at Buckley Swamp. Referring to my Family Tree Maker program, I found Jane O’May defined as the “Paternal grandmother of husband of 1st cousin 4 x removed” of me. Jane was the wife of William Kirkwood. Their grandson William married my 1st cousin 4 x removed, Sarah Ann Reed in 1903. Sarah was a niece of James Harman and Susan Reed.

Hugh CAMERON: Died February 1934 at Drumborg. Born in Portland around 1855, Hugh Cameron moved around the Western District for several years, finally settling at Drumborg. He lived at Condah, Willaura, Telangatuk and Branxholme. He married Mary Cameron of Toorak and they had five boys and two girls.

Mrs Ellen HICKEY: Died February 4, 1937 at Portland. Ellen Hickey lived in Portland for most of her 76 years, but moved to Moonee Ponds for the last 13 years of her life. During her time in Portland, where her husband Thomas Hickey ran a livery stable, Ellen attended All Saints Church. After the move to Melbourne, Ellen enjoyed returning to Portland for her annual holiday. She left Thomas, five sons and two daughters. A son John, a veteran of the Boer War, predeceased her.

Mr Frederick H. BEST: Died February 29, 1940 at Winslow. Frederick was born in England in 1849 and arrived in Portland with his parents, in 1852. He began work as a tanner at 15 and work around Australia and New Zealand for the following 10 years. He married Louise Cardinal at Woolsthorpe in 1875 and set up a tannery business at Winslow. It became the biggest tannery outside the larger cities.

William McKENZIE: Died February 2, 1949 at Newfields. Born at Carranballac Station in 1868, William McKenzie was the youngest of 13 children. He worked as a shearer through the Western District and N.S.W. before taking up dairy farming around the turn of the century. William married Augusta Schmidt in 1896.

This morning at 11.00am, I will think of my Hadden family sailing through the Heads into Port Phillip Bay, 160 years ago today. I have previously posted about their journey on the Marco Polo, a clipper ship that altered the course taken by immigrant ships on their journey to Australia and in doing so, earned the title of Fastest Ship in the World.

Landing at Hobsons Bay, the Haddens made their own way to Melbourne and for the next 14 years I have no idea where they were. In that time they “acquired” two daughters, Margaret and Ellen. John’s birth in 1864 is the first clue to the Haddens being at Mokanger Station near Cavendish where Charles worked.

JAMES: Born 1850 Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland; Died 1935, Cavendish.

MARGARET: Born circa 1854; Married James Cameron 1883; Died 1927, Swan Hill.

ELLEN: Born circa 1861; Died 1948, Cavendish.

JOHN: Born 1864, Cavendish; Died 1931, Cavendish.

AGNES: Born 1872, Cavendish; Died 1949, Hamilton.

I have searched records from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales for the births of Margaret and Ellen with no success. Yet on the their death records, they are the daughters of Charles Hadden and Agnes Dobson. Also, the Probate Application at the time of the death of Agnes, listed among her children are Margaret Cameron of Swan Hill and Ellen Hadden of Cavendish. To find where they were born would help me find where they were for those 14 years. They may well have been at Mokanger Station all that time.

The Hadden children were not really the marrying kind. Of the six children, only two, my great great grandfather William and his sister Margaret, married. William must have wanted to make up the numbers with he and wife Mary Mortimer having 10 children. Margaret and her husband James had five children. From the 15 grandchildren of Charles and Agnes, I have found 47 great-grandchildren so far.

At 11.00am I will thank Charles and Agnes Hadden for deciding to leave Scotland to take the journey of a lifetime to come to Australia. If they hadn’t, where would I be today?

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Jonathan Harman and his older brother James were like two peas in a pod. While Jonathan did not show the devotion to the Wesleyan Methodist Church as is lay preacher brother, they shared a keen in interest in farming practices and community involvement.

Jonathan and James Harman

Jonathan was born in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire in 1837. By the 1851 England Census he was the eldest child still living at the home of Joseph and Sarah Harman in Drury Lane, Melbourn. His farming career had begun with his occupation, like so many others, agriculture labourer.

In 1854, Jonathan and his brothers George and Reuben, boarded the “Queen of England” for Sydney. The first record I find for Jonathan in Victoria is 1862 when he married Mary Oliver, daughter of fellow pioneers, Jonathan Oliver and Ann Richards.

In 1863, the first of the couple’s ten children, Arthur, was born at Yambuk, near Port Fairy. Peter Fraser in Early Byaduk Settlers, mentions Mary’s father Jonathan Oliver living there in 1863. Peter Fraser also tells of James and Jonathan Harman each having a team of bullocks which they used for a carting business along the Port Fairy road, at least has far as Byaduk or even Hamilton.

Also from Early Byaduk Settlers, I have discovered Jonathan was one of the first buggy owners in Byaduk, purchasing a heavy red buggy in 1875. Up until that time, most people owned spring carts which were not suitable for a trip into Hamilton. Until the arrival of buggies, the only comfortable way to travel to Hamilton was horseback or dray. That trip would have taken 4-5 hours according to Fraser. Today, the trip to Byaduk from Hamilton is only about 15 minutes.

Jonathan and Mary lost one child, Joseph as a baby. Sarah was only six at the time of her death and son John was 18. Daughter Mary Ann was born in 1869 but I have never found a record for her death or marriage.

Joseph, Sarah and John are buried at the Byaduk cemetery and a headstone marks their the grave, but where is Mary Ann?

Headstone of John, Sarah and Joseph Harman, children of Jonathan and Mary Harman,, Byaduk Cemetery

Wife Mary died in 1884 at Byaduk at only 41 years of age. Youngest child Jonathan was only eight years old at the time.

At the time of Jonathan’s death on April 2, 1930 he was living with his daughter Amelia Bell at Heywood. He was 94 years old.

Jonathan’s arrival in Australia. It is true that Jonathan would have been around 16 when he arrived in Sydney from England with his brothers. Parents Joseph and Sarah arrived a short time after and stayed in N.S.W for several years before heading to Victoria toward the end of the 1850s. Did Jonathan leave N.S.W. before them, possible shortly after his arrival, taking a ship from Sydney to Port Fairy to join brother James? Or is this all just unreliable second-hand information as is the nature of obituaries. Even so, it is worth investigating further in my quest to pin down when all the Harmans arrived in Victoria and by what means.

Amelia Harman, who married Chris Bell is listed as Millicent. Her birth name was registered as Amelia. Could Millicent been a nick name that stuck?

Youngest son Jonathan is not mentioned in the obituary despite not passing away until 1941. I have always thought of him as the black sheep of the family. He married a girl from outside of the district, Hannah Keyte of Natimuk and he spent time in Queensland with Hannah, before disappearing prior to his death in Ararat, Victoria in 1941. Hannah was still living in Queensland at the time of his death. Is it possible that not only did he fall out with his wife Hannah, but also his family back in Byaduk? Or was it simply because the author of the obituary did not have time for him?

Jonathan was buried with Mary next to their three children at the Byaduk Cemetery.

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The September “Passing of the Pioneers” in the Portland Guardian saw several prominent Western Victorian residents pass away and two of my own relatives.

Richard LEWIS – Died September 1890, “Bryngola” near Digby. Richard owned some well known stations in the Western District including “Rifle Downs” and “Hilgay”. An excellent biography of Richard Lewis is on the Ballarat Genealogical Society website. Richard died as a result of Bright’s disease.

Samuel CROSS – Died September 4, 1901, Hamilton. Samuel was 79 at the time of his death and had been in Australia since 1849 after travelling from Sussex, England. He worked in, and owned, department stores including the Beehive Store in Hamilton. In his later years he was a librarian at the Hamilton Mechanics Institute.

Jacob THEISINGER – Died September 13, 1901, Portland. Jacob, also a sufferer of Bright’s Disease, had been in the colony since around 1854. He was a popular person around town and was a member of the Portland German Band.

R. STAPYLTON-BREE – Died September 17, 1907, Hamilton. Robert Edwin Windsor Sandys Stapylton-Bree was a Hamilton stock and station agent and well know identity not only in Hamilton, but also Portland. He married the daughter of Stephen HENTY, Annie Maria. His funeral was well attended with Dean Parkyn presiding over the service . He and Archdeacon Hayman had motored the 119 mile trip from Ballarat in five hours.

Mrs D. McPHERSON – Died September, 1921, Hamilton. The former Miss STEWART was born in Kingussie, Scotland in around 1825 and travelled with her husband, Duncan McPherson, to Australia in 1851 on board the “Hooghly”. While Duncan went off to the goldfields, Mrs McPherson waited in Melbourne until they journeyed to Portland. For a time, she and her husband ran the Dartmoor Hotel. She was a mother of eight children.

Mrs Elizabeth LAMB – Died September 18, 1825, Millicent. Mrs Lamb had grown up near Portland and the Guardian notes she rode 80 miles each day to school. I am assuming this is a round trip, or it was a short school day.

Miss ROBERTSON – Died September, 1925, Gringalgona. Miss Robertson arrived in Sydney with her family in 1847 from Scotland. They travelled to the Coleraine district by bullock wagon.

Mrs Margaret Emily CAMERON- Died September 5, 1928, New Zealand. Mrs Cameron was born Margaret McDonald. Her parents were early pioneers and she spent time around Portland and Hamilton as a child with one of early memories being that of Adam Lindsay Gordon and his riding feats. Margaret moved to New Zealand as a new bride and raised 12 children.

Mrs Margaret BELL – Died September 7, 1933, Hamilton. Margaret was born in County Caven, Ireland in 1853 to Mr and Mrs William Best. They arrived at Portland on board the “General Hewitt” in 1856. After time in Portland the Bests moved to Heywood when Margaret was nine. She married James Henry BELL and remained in the Heywood area.

Miss Ada Catherine HAYMAN – Died September 1934, Portland. Ada was born in Axminster, Devon, England in about 1858. She arrived at Portland with her parents and siblings in the 1860s. This is an interesting family. Ada’s father was a doctor and practiced in Harrow, Edenhope and Ararat. One of her brothers was a doctor, another Archdeacon Hayman presided over R. Stapylton-Bree’s funeral (above). Another brother W.R. Hayman was one of those who organised the Aboriginal cricketers’ tour of England in 1868. The biography of one of the players, Johnny Mullagh, describes the part Hayman played.

Finlay McPherson PATON – Died September 1936, Tarrayoukyan. Finlay Paton was born at Sterlingshire, Scotland and after landing at Portland, took on the job of ringing the church bell and did so for 15 years. This could have been just one of the reasons for his “magnificent physique”. Maybe it was because he claimed that he was one of those that carted stones to build Mac’s Hotel in Portland. Or was it lifting four bushel bags of wheat from the ground to a wagon, with little trouble. He really must have been a fine specimen. As were his team of horses used for his carrying business. Bred by Finlay they were the “admiration of the district”

William DIWELL – Died September 1939, Jeparit. William was my ggg uncle. His obituary mentions his work as a builder and the several buildings in Portland remaining, at the time of his death, as memorials to his work. It does mention he was a native of Portland, however he was born at Merino. It correctly states his wife Frances was a native of Portland.

Thomas Haliburton LAIDLAW – Died September 1941, Hamilton. Over 500 people were reportedly at the funeral of Thomas Laidlaw, a Hamilton stock and station agent. Thomas was the son of pioneers, Thomas and Grace Laidlaw. The obituary offers a great description of the early days of Thomas Laidlaw senior in the colony with his four brothers. Thomas junior, along with building his successful stock and station business was at one time a Shire of Dundas Councillor, president of the Hamilton Racing Club and chairman of directors of the Hamilton and Western District College, today Hamilton and Alexandra College. Laidlaw is one of the names that if I hear it, I think of Hamilton.

Henry MORTIMER – Died September 6, 1948, Portland. Another ggg uncle of mine, Henry was the son of James Mortimer and Rosanna Buckland. He was born in Cavendish and was 80 at the time of his death at Portland. He is best known at this blog as Mr Mortimer of Mr Mortimer’s Daughters. This was an informative notice as it listed Henry’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I thought it right that today’s In the News should feature articles that appeared in The Portland Guardian on May 9, 1910.

On Page 2, the lead story is an Obituary for long time Heywood resident Malcolm Cameron. I have some interest in Malcolm Cameron as he is the father in law of my first cousin four times removed, Emily Harman.

Malcolm was born in Perthshire, Scotland in around 1823. There is a record for a Malcolm Douglas arriving on the “Glen Roy” in 1854. Malcolm married fellow Scot Elizabeth Douglas in Victoria in 1860 and they had their first child, Fanny in 1861 at Heywood. They had a further nine children over the subsequent 21 years.

From the obituary it can be seen that Malcolm Cameron was active in the community as a JP and Councillor . It mentions Malcolm was lost in the bush a few months earlier. An article about this appeared in The Portland Guardian and other papers including The Argus on December 8, 1909

Malcolm’s son Malcolm Douglas Cameron was born in 1864 at “Cave Hill” near Heywood and married Emily Harman in 1900. They had two sons, Oliver and Alan.

DEATH OF THE KING

An article on Page 2 gives a hint on some major international news of the time. The Portland Post office would be closed the afternoon of May 9 out of recognition of a day

of mourning which had been announced throughout the Commonwealth on the passing of King Edward VII on May 7, 1910. On Page 3, the headlines proclaim,

“Death of the King” with details of the king’s death and further on, the reaction of the Portland residents.

The people of Portland were sent into deep mourning according to this article with flags at half mast and church bells tolling. Miss Allnutt, the organist who is mentioned in the article was a daughter of the minister of St Stephens Church at the time. Arch Deacon Allnutt was Minister for over 30 years.

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF SKATING

Skating appears to be a popular pastime of the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. Two articles about skating appear on Page 2, one announcing the opening of the Portland Skating rink and the second demonstrating the dangers of the sport.

The advertisement on the same page reveals skating was being held at the Free Library Hall and entry was sixpence. Unless of course one was expert and wished to try the more advanced ball-bearing skates!

The second article relates to a skating accident at Casterton which resulted in a nasty concussion for Mr Allan Rowlands. If one considers the size of the average country hall, the thought of skaters hurtling around, is rather hair-raising. No wonder women and children were only allowed to skate in the afternoon, when hopefully it would have been a more refined pastime.